Electronic Arts Inc. (EA), Google Inc (GOOG): Apple Inc. (AAPL) Maintains Its Edge Over Android With Plants vs. Zombies 2

Google knows it needs to catch up in game development

But what’s a stupid video game? Certainly, a game shouldn’t influence a person’s decision to purchase a mobile device.

If you think that, you’d be wrong. Playing games takes up a large percentage of the time people spend on mobile devices—as much as 43%, according to a study done by Business Insider.

Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG) understands that, while it might have market share dominance, it still lags when it comes to app development. If Android is really going to crush iOS, it will have to become the platform of choice for developers.

At Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG)’s I/O Conference in May, it did much to make Android development easier, including announcing Android Studio, a mobile development environment with helpful tools.

It also encouraged greater Android game development. Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG) has enhanced its Game Center with new features to support online and cross-platform play.

What a game about plants and zombies means to investors

At first glance, a game about cartoon plants and zombies might not seem like a major investment catalyst.

However, the game is already showing signs of becoming the next great mobile hit. If it takes off, could provide a boost to EA, bringing in hundreds of millions in revenue and establishing a valuable intellectual property — a key source for future EA earnings.

But Plants vs. Zombies 2 is important to the entire mobile space. By electing to make iOS the first (and for now, only) platform to receive the game, Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ:EA) has shown that when it comes to app development, Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL)’s mobile operating system is still dominant.

Although Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG)’s Android has far surpassed Android in terms of market share, the search giant still has work to do in selling developers on making its platform the preferred choice.

If, many years from now, Plants vs. Zombies 3 is an Android exclusive, Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) investors should hope they’re long gone. But until then, all is fine for the Cupertino tech giant.

The article Apple Maintains Its Edge Over Android With Plants vs. Zombies 2 originally appeared on Fool.com and is written by Sam Mattera.

Sam Mattera has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends Apple and Google. The Motley Fool owns shares of Apple and Google.

Copyright © 1995 – 2013 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.